This invention relates in general to integrated circuit packaging, and more particularly to a chip scale integrated circuit package with improved thermo-mechanical properties.
Wafer scale, or chip scale packages offer a high density integrated circuit package in comparison to other integrated circuit (IC) packages. Traditionally, chip scale packages have been the preferred packages for use in electronic devices. This is due to the relatively small size of the chip scale package thereby allowing the use of a small circuit board which contains the IC package in the electronic device.
One typical chip scale package of the prior art includes a flip chip integrated circuit with a redistribution layer on the surface of the die to spread the interconnects over the die surface. The redistribution layer is typically an organic dielectric with copper traces routing to the bump areas on the die. These packages have achieved limited use in the industry because they suffer from disadvantages.
One of these disadvantages is that there exists a thermally induced stress due to the mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion between the die and the motherboard when the chip is soldered to the system motherboard. More specifically, the silicon die has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, typically in the range of about 3 ppm/xc2x0 C. compared to the high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the motherboard. Motherboards are typically made from epoxy resin and have a CTE of about 22 ppm/xc2x0 C. Silicon is a rigid material with a high modulus of elasticity. During temperature cycling, the CTE mismatch creates stresses and strains concentrated on the interconnects between the die and substrate. In extreme cases fatigue failure occurs in the solder joint after a very small number of thermal cycles. Thus, this flip chip design has achieved limited use in a small number of applications using expensive ceramic substrates in controlled environments.
With the introduction of organic underfill techniques, it was determined that by sealing the interface between the die and the motherboard with a connective layer of epoxy adhesive the stress of the thermal mismatch between die and motherboard is spread across the total area under the die. Thus, the stress is spaced across a large area of epoxy rather than concentrated at the weaker solder joints. While this solution is somewhat effective, the implementation of this direct attach technique suffers problems.
One particular problem is that the use of the underfill on the motherboard results in a permanent chip attach. Once a chip is attached, it is extremely difficult to remove or rework it, therefore leading to high scrap rates and other problems. At the time this technique was introduced, technology in motherboard routing could not accommodate the interconnect densities of the direct chip attach. Although motherboard technology has advanced since the introduction of the direct chip attach technique, the use of underfill still suffers disadvantages such as permanent chip attach, which precludes large-scale use of the technique.
Variations to this design have been introduced for a variety of reasons. For example, a discrete ball and array package, commonly referred to as a flip chip ball grid array package has a flipped chip and is underfilled to a discrete component. This permits testing and more effective placement on the motherboard. These devices have achieved common usage but still suffer from the disadvantage of complex construction and high expense. Further, because of the complex construction, these packages generally require more than one test to ensure quality.
Accordingly, it is an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide a chip scale integrated circuit package with improved thermo-mechanical properties.
In an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an integrated circuit package that includes a silicon wafer, a plate of intermetallic compound fixed to the back surface of the silicon wafer and a plurality of solder ball contacts. The solder ball contacts are in electrical connection with die circuitry on the front surface of the silicon wafer.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for fabricating an integrated circuit package including backgrinding a silicon water fixing a first surface of the silicon wafer to a plate of intermetallic compound, adding a redistribution layer to a second surface of the silicon wafer, the second surface opposite the first surface, connecting a plurality of solder balls to die circuitry of the silicon wafer to provide a plurality of joined integrated circuit packages, and singulating individual integrated circuit packages from the joined integrated circuit packages.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chip scale integrated circuit package. The chip scale integrated circuit package includes a silicon wafer back ground to a thickness of between about 25 microns and about 250 microns, and a plate of intermetallic compound fixed to a back surface of the silicon wafer. The intermetallic compound has a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 22 ppm/xc2x0 C. and an elastic modulus greater than the elastic modulus of the silicon wafer. A redistribution layer is disposed on a surface of the silicon wafer and covers die circuitry on the silicon wafer. A plurality of solder ball contacts are fixed to pads of the redistribution layer and are in electrical connection with die circuitry on the front surface of the silicon wafer.
In an aspect of the present invention, the thermo-mechanical properties of the chip-scale IC package are adapted to approach the temperature induced strain of the motherboard.
Advantageously, the use of an intermetallic compound such as copper aluminide fixed to the silicon wafer provides a hybrid with thermo-mechanical properties that approach that of the motherboard. In one aspect, the coefficient of thermal expansion is close to that of the motherboard and the elastic modulus is high to restrain the silicon.
In another aspect, the package is tested prior to saw singulation. Advantageously, only one test is carried out on each package.